Overlooked in the Crises
by raspberry dreams
Summary: Reid was shot and Hotch was stabbed. The team rallied around Hotch as his life humg in the balance and his family were taken into witness protection. But what had they forgotten to do?
1. Chapter 1

Traction

Hotch waited anxiously for his team to come and give him a ride home from hospital. He'd been in hospital ten days after being stabbed by Foyet. In that time his family had been takin into witness protection and his team had searched in vain for the serial killer that had injured him. He hoped it would be Rossi who came today. He didn't think he was up to another round of Prentiss, JJ or Garcia's fussing (or Morgan's driving). In fact, the whole team had visited him daily except for Reid who he hadn't seen at all since he'd been shot. Hotch wondered if having Foyet target the team had scared the younger man off? He was disappointed not to see him he had thought they were becoming close friends. Had his injury on top of Gideon's recent departure been too much for the young genius or had he gone to visit his Mom and send her into hiding. Reid was very protective of his mother. Hotch refused to give credence to his real worry that the stress of everything had caused his friend to relapse.

"Hi Hotch, ready to get out of this place" Emily said cheerfully as she walked into his room.

"You'll never know how much" Hotch replied gratefully.

"Where to?" Emily asked, fussing as he climbed into the wheelchair the nurse had brought.

"Home" Aaron replied.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay with one of us for a few days? I'd love to have you" Emily asked.

"No I want to get back to my own place" Aaron replied. "I really just need to be on my own for a while to process what's happened."

"I don't know if your place has been cleaned" Emily protested.

"Rossi said the cleaners he hired returned my keys yesterday" Hotch replied.

"Okay but are you sure you're ready to return there" Emily said softly.

Honestly Aaron had to admit that he wasn't sure, he just knew he couldn't be coddled by the team any longer he needed to regain his equilibrium and that would be more easily done with solitude and by facing the aftermath of the attack head on.

"How's the rest of the team. I'm surprised you've been able to visit so much. Why did Strauss take you off rotation? It isn't like her" Hotch said.

"Morgan's in New York today doing a custodial and I've been busy with consults. The other teams are covering for us so I doubt we're going to get a weekend off for months in payback once were back to full staffing. Have you heard whether Strauss has found a replacement for Gideon yet?" Emily replied.

"I'm not even sure she's looking but if she wanted to put someone in without consulting me, now would be a good time to do it" Hotch replied, shortly. He didn't trust his section chief not to do exactly that and could only hope she would choose someone that could put the job ahead of their own political agenda in the field.

"What about Reid?" he asked as he realised she hadn't mentioned him.

"Haven't heard from him. I'm not sure when he'll be back" Emily said dismissively.

"Why's he off work? Is his mother sick again?" Hotch asked.

"He's out injured, but it's nothing serious" Emily dismissed. "He wouldn't want you to worry about him."

They arrived at the apartment and Emily helped carry his things upstairs. "I've been through the refrigerator, thrown out the perishables and restocked you with milk and bread and coffee."

"Thanks Prentiss" Aaron said gratefully.

"Do you want me to stay? I could order you some take out?" Emily offered.

"Honestly Prentiss I just want to be alone for a while" Aaron replied.

Once she'd gone Aaron called JJ for information. Emily's dismissing Reid's injury didn't sit right with him. Reid had a habit of coming in to work whether he was well enough to be there or not and a minor injury wouldn't have kept him from sitting at his desk and doing consults or visiting an injured team mate. JJ and Reid were friends so she probably knew what was going on with him. He wondered why nobody had told him Reid was hurt.

"Hey Hotch welcome home. Is there anything you need?" JJ greeted him questioningly.

"No I'm fine. Emily mentioned that Reid was out injured?" Aaron asked.

"Yeah he was shot in the leg the same day you were injured. I'm not sure how long he'll be off but he's doing well. I rang him yesterday" JJ said. "We didn't want to worry you while you were recuperating."

"He's a member of my team and my friend. Why wouldn't I want to know he's okay. I'd wondered why he didn't visit with the rest of you" Hotch replied. "Is he at his apartment? He can't find it easy managing the stairs to get in and out if he's injured."

"He's not at home. I offered to come over and bring him some groceries but he said it wasn't necessary" JJ replied. "He didn't say where he was staying. I figured he was being deliberately vague because he didn't want visitors and let it drop. I asked him to call me if he ever needed anything."

"JJ has Reid ever called you because he needed help?" Aaron asked curiously.

"No, he never has. I figured he would've called Gideon before he'd call anyone" JJ replied.

"Gideon's gone" Aaron reminded her. "And I don't remember either of them mentioning Reid asking for help either."

JJ had nothing else to offer and Aaron disconnected the call even more concerned about his youngest team member than he'd been before.

-o0o-

"Reid" Spencer answered his phone not recognising the landline number.

"Reid it's Hotch. JJ's just told me you were injured" Aaron said

"She's just told you? Why?" Spencer asked confused.

"Emily mentioned you were out injured while she drove me home from hospital today. She brushed it off uncharacteristically so I called JJ for details. She didn't have many but she said you were shot the day I was injured and they hadn't wanted to worry me with the surgery and Haley and Jack going into witness protection I've been a bit distracted" Aaron explained hoping the young genius would reciprocate.

"That's understandable" Spencer replied calmly. "So you were discharged today? Are you alright? Is someone staying with you to help out and keep you secure?"

"No I wanted to be alone but now that I am I don't feel comfortable here on my own" Aaron replied.

"I understand that too. Your home was invaded it doesn't feel like the safe haven it used to be. You're welcome to use my place if you think you can handle the stairs. You'll be on your own, I'm going to be here another five weeks at least so you could still be alone" Spencer offered.

Spencer where are you?" Aaron asked expecting to hear that the younger agent had taken advantage of his sick leave to go to Vegas to visit his mother.

"I'm in GWU hospital" Spencer said surprised that he hadn't been told. "I would have visited you but I'm kind of tied up right now and they wouldn't put my calls through."

"Yes Emily and Morgan were worried that Foyet would call to taunt me so I was admitted under a pseudonym" Aaron explained the block on calls. "You're still in hospital? JJ said it was only a minor shooting."

"JJ been ringing me every day but she hasn't been to visit. Henry's been sick" Spencer replied. "I never told her it was a minor injury. I got shot in the leg and I was talking to Emily before the paramedics turned up so they knew it wasn't life threatening but neither JJ or Emily has asked about my injury."

"She didn't know you were still in hospital either" Aaron said frowning.

"She knew I wasn't home yet" Spencer protested.

"Yes she said she didn't know where you were, only that you hadn't returned home. She thought you might have gone home to see your mom or been staying with friends because of the stairs at your place" Aaron confirmed. "But you said you'd be wherever you were another five weeks. I assumed you were out of hospital. They wouldn't keep you that long for a bullet wound.

"The bullet shattered the top of my Femur and wrecked the muscle attachments in my knee. They've put my leg in traction for six weeks. The alternative was an artificial knee replacement and then I couldn't remain a field agent" Spencer said bluntly.

"So when you said you were kind of tied up you literally meant tied to the bed?" Aaron asked slightly amused in spite of the seriousness of the injury.

"Well yes" Spencer said awkwardly.

"Reid who knows that you're in hospital?" Aaron asked suspiciously.

"I don't know. I haven't seen anyone" Spencer replied. "Emily knew which hospital I was taken to but I told her to concentrate on you. You were injured much worse than me."

"And yet I'm here at home and you'll be in hospital another five weeks" Aaron said sarcastically.

"Why didn't you tell anyone where you were?"

"They didn't ask. The only one who's called me is JJ and she couldn't visit even if I did tell her so there was no point worrying her" Spencer said reasonably.

"I'm going to have to tell the team about your injury" Aaron said sighing.

"I'd rather you didn't, they'll descend on me all at once feeling guilty. If they'd cared they would have been here without their boss reminding them" Spencer said tiredly.

"I won't tell them where you are if you don't want me to but they need to know that I don't appreciate them hovering over me at your expense" Aaron replied. "Foyet's still after the team. I'm going to have to arrange some security for you just in case he finds out where you are. It's too late to have you admitted under an assumed name and you can't protect yourself at the moment so expect some guards outside your door within the hour."

"Thanks Hotch" Spencer said gratefully. "If it isn't too much trouble could you ask them to bring me some files to work on. If there are guards outside that should provide enough security for them, and maybe something to read? I don't care what. And my messenger bag if Emily bought it back to the office?"

"I will Reid. I'll see you soon" Aaron replied.

Aaron was horrified. It sounded like not only hadn't the team visited their youngest agent but nobody had visited in days. He organised the guards including Anderson to take Spencer the things he'd asked for, getting his word that he wouldn't mention Reid to the rest of the team. He wanted to visit himself but realised that it was barely an hour to the end of the work day and someone would be sure to check on him on their way home from work and freak out if he wasn't home.

-o0o-

That night Morgan and Garcia came to visit on their way home from work. "Oh Boss man you can't stay here on your own" Garcia fussed.

"You really shouldn't stay here. You need better security. I'm sure the bureau would provide a safe house until you can get somewhere more secure" Morgan added.

"Believe me I've thought of that. Reid offered me his place until he gets home" Aaron said watching them both carefully for their reactions.

"Pretty Boy doesn't have enough security either" Morgan snorted.

"His building doesn't have an elevator I don't think you should be climbing two flights of stairs in your condition" Penelope protested.

"But you were fine with the idea of Reid climbing those same two flights of stairs after being shot in the leg? Nobody even thought to visit him and offer him a ride home from hospital?" Aaron said looking at the most generous person on the team and his young agent's best male friend disbelievingly.

"He hasn't called" Morgan said at the same time as Garcia said. "I went past his place last night and he's not there."

"He's not used to asking for help" Aaron stated, "Are you sure he would this time?"

"Where is he. I assumed that if he wasn't in his apartment he would be staying with friends or have gone home to Vegas" Garcia asked worriedly.

"He asked me not to tell you. He said he didn't want you descending on him just because you're feeling guilty and that if you'd wanted to visit him you would have done so while he was in hospital. And Garcia, he's turned off his phone." Actually he'd been keeping it off most of the time to conserve battery since he hadn't had his charger with him. Hotch had been lucky to catch him earlier that day as he turned the phone on to call his Mom. After hearing Hotch planning to talk to the team tonight he'd given Hotch the number to the phone in his room so he wouldn't have to turn it back on and have Garcia trace it.

-o0o-

First thing next morning he rang a taxi and struggled to get downstairs to meet it. Wincing as they travelled across town to the hospital he had more appreciation of Prentiss' care in driving him home the previous day. He paid the driver and went in to enquire about Reid's whereabouts.

Reid looked up in shock as he arrived. "Hotch!"

"Reid" Aaron greeted looking over his agent assessingly. He noticed the assessment being returned and smirked ruefully.

"How are you?" He asked.

"I'm fine, a little bored. I've run out of things to read again" he said gesturing to the pile of medical and nursing books on his bedside table. "The staff have been very generous. The consults are finished. Anderson took them to drop off at headquarters on his way home. He said he'll bring me some more tomorrow."

Aaron grinned. "You'll be ready to get a medical degree by the time you leave here" he teased.

"Something in there might come in useful one day" Spencer defended.

"It might" Aaron agreed. "I brought you some of my favourite fiction and I could lend you my tablet if you like. I loaded quite a few articles I wanted to read that should interest you."

Spencer took it gratefully. "Won't you miss it?" he asked.

"I can always get Garcia to bring me another one" Aaron said dismissively. "I'll try to bring you some more books as well, do you have any requests?"

Spencer smiled. "I've been meaning to ask if I could borrow some of your on criminal law, particularly federal law. The more obscure things" he said trying to think of things he wanted to read that Hotch was likely to already have. "I've asked the doctors for information on facial reconstruction. I think it would be good to know how much someone could change their appearance, also anything on forensic pathology and new drug developments."

"Spencer you're on sick leave. You can read just for pleasure you know" Hotch protested.

"I know. If you have time could you go to my apartment and bring my laptop and the books on the left hand side of my desk?" Spencer asked hesitantly.

"I'll bring them tomorrow" Aaron promised. "What are you working on"

"A couple of things, a degree in philosophy and a PhD in the effects of narcissistic personalities in crime" Spencer replied. "The next three weeks should give me time to finish the bulk of the work on my thesis."

Hotch just shook his head ruefully.

-o0o-

Hotch returned to work but continued to visit Reid. At Reid's request he didn't mention the young profiler to the rest of the team merely shutting down their complaints at the agent's extended leave. He also gave up on the idea of staying in his own apartment after the first night and took Reid up on his offer to stay in his spare room while he used his spare time to find a more secure apartment and arranged a reputable moving company to pack and move him.

The friendship between Hotch and Reid strengthened as Hotch visited at least every second day for the four and a half weeks until Spencer came out of traction and the young agent came to understand that while he was often standoffish during cases he truly cared about every single person on his team and could be depended on. Aaron was there to see the traction taken down and support his friend while he sat through the anxious wait for the X-ray results to see if the bone, muscles and ligaments had repaired itself sufficiently. He also supported him through the fitting of the brace and the difficult task of learning to use crutches with the heavy brace throwing off his balance.

"When can I go home?" Spencer asked the nurse as they returned from the physio gym having been finally cleared to use his crutches independently."

"The surgeon has cleared you so if physio has cleared you as well you could go today. Give me an hour to get your follow up appointments set up and the medication you need from the pharmacy. Have you got someone who can stay with you for a few days?"

"He'll be staying with me" Aaron interjected before Spencer could reply.

"I'll be fine at home" Spencer protested.

"You feel confident enough on those things to go up two flights of stairs carrying your bags and groceries" Aaron countered. "Or were you finally planning on asking the team for help? I can't help you up the stairs Reid. I'm still on lifting restrictions myself."

"I'll stay with you. Thank you for the offer" Spencer gave in gracefully though the slight pout on his face belied the polite words.

-o0o-

The whole team descended on him that night bearing Chinese takeout it being the start of their first weekend off since Hotch had moved.

"I hope you're hungry" JJ said.

'Not really' Aaron thought still finding it painful to eat too much. "Thank you" he said. "I'll just go wash up." He headed into the spare bedroom to talk to Reid. "The whole team's here. I wasn't expecting them I swear to you. They've brought dinner if you want to come out you'd be welcome but if you're not up to it I'll understand. I won't tell them you're here if you don't want me to" Aaron offered.

"I know you wouldn't organise an ambush on my first night here but I've got to stop hiding sometime" Spencer said resignedly.

Hotch handed him his crutches and stood beside him until he got to his feet. "I'll see you out there" he said. He went in the kitchen to collect a fork for Reid and was shooed back to the dining room.

"Did anyone think to invite Reid?" Morgan asked guiltily.

"No I don't think he's even in town" JJ replied. "He hasn't been to see Henry at all in the last month."

"It's too late now anyway" Emily replied. "Even if he was home the meal will be over before he gets here."

"When's my junior G man coming back to work?" Garcia asked.

"He'll be back on light duties from Monday but it'll be another month before he's allowed to fly" Aaron said.

"But if he can't fly how did he get home to Vegas?" JJ asked.

"I never went to Vegas" Spencer replied softly coming over to take the corner seats where he could put his leg up.

"Then where have you been?" Garcia demanded.

"Hotch brought me home from hospital this morning. I'm staying with him until I can manage the stairs at my place" Spencer replied.

"Why were you back in hospital?" Morgan asked.

"Yeah Reid? What did you do now?" Emily asked teasingly.

Spencer flinched.

"He wasn't BACK in hospital. He's been in hospital since he was shot. That 'minor flesh wound' shattered his femur" Aaron said sarcastically, controlling his anger with effort.

Morgan, Garcia and JJ glared at Emily.

"None of you visited him either" Emily said defensively.

"Can we just let it go. There's no point blaming each other. Emily was right it wasn't a life threatening injury. I understand that you were all more worried about Hotch" Spencer said.

"Why didn't you ring us?" Garcia fretted.

"My phone died and the hospital didn't have a charger for it" Spencer replied. "Does anyone have my messenger bag? It got left behind when the ambulance took me to hospital."

"He was going to take a taxi home and hobble up two flights of stairs on his own. It was lucky I was there" Aaron said. Seeing Spencer looked upset he changed the subject to their search for Foyet until the young man had eaten and excused himself to return to his room and rest.

Morgan tried to follow but one begging glance from Reid had Hotch intercepting him.

"Let him go. It's been a long day and he needs to rest. He's not ready for you to lay your guilt on him he's got enough to deal with at the moment" Aaron said firmly.

Morgan looked like he wanted to argue but they all heard the loud clicking of the lock on the guest bathroom door followed by the sound of water running. Aaron silently cursed the young man for trying to shower with the door locked so he couldn't call for help if he needed it.

"How long have you known Spence was in hospital?" JJ asked.

"Since the day I got home. I rang JJ and Rossi and neither of you knew where Reid was or any details of his injury so I went looking for him" Hotch answered bluntly. "Understand you were all concerned about me with Foyet attacking me in my home and Haley and Jack going into witness protection but Reid spent six weeks in traction, literally tied to a hospital bed all alone while he waited to find out whether his leg would ever heal well enough to let him back into the field. And because nobody told him I was admitted under an assumed name he didn't know if I'd survived for the first ten days."

Everyone looked down ashamed.

"One other thing for you to think about. Reid's shooting did make the local paper so anyone doing a google search on his name could easily have realised he was likely to have been admitted to GWU hospital, nearest the incident. It wouldn't have taken Foyet more than twenty minutes to find him if he'd tried. He needed to be protected the same as I was. I arranged the protection as soon as I knew where he was but it's sheer luck that protected him the first ten days and that is just not good enough."

The team sat there chastised.

"How do we make it up to him?" Garcia asked.

"He's already forgiven you. He was making excuses for you even while he was alone in the hospital but it will have shaken his trust in you all" Aaron replied sighing. "Tonight was the first time in weeks I've seen all his nervous ticks and I'm sure only part of that was dreading the confrontation that would occur when you realised that you'd all abandoned him."

-o0o-

Spencer hoped for a low key return to work on the Monday and he was lucky that the team was called away early that morning. Cooper's team welcomed him and gratefully gave him piles of consultations to work through while they finished up the paperwork from the case they'd finished the night before. Garcia breezed out, attempted to hug him and delivered a plate of his favourite cookies darting in and out of her computer cage to fetch him coffee and a healthy lunch she'd prepared for him. By the time the team arrived back eight days later Spencer had established a routine for himself where he could independently negotiate around the bullpen on his crutches and contribute his expertise and opinions to the team via phone while completing consultations for all the BAU teams. Morgan and JJ tried to make a fuss of him and Spencer tolerated it allowing JJ to take him home for dinner so he could see his godson.

It took time for things to return to normal but Spencer had no difficulty trusting the team to have his back when he finally returned to the field and eventually he started trusting them in his private life too. His friendship with Hotch however had continued to grow in the months he spent living with his boss while on crutches and this helped him to cope with the difficulty he had learning to trust the friendships he was rebuilding with the rest of the team.

The End


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I recently read a story which I had read in the past though both the title and the name of the person posting it were different. When I accused the new 'author' of plagiarism they replied that they never claimed to have written the story and the original owner "never said that i couldn't share the story it's self. Beside's they put it out their for people's entertainment if they wanted people to know who wrote it they would tell." They then proceded to tell me off for making a false accusation. Needless to say I then reported them.

So to make it perfectly clear. THIS IS MY STORY AND NOBODY HAS PERMISSION TO POST IT ANY WHERE ELSE OR REPOST IT ON THIS SITE UNDER ANY NAME. And I stand by my words that only a despicable human being would steal another person's work in this way.

A/N2: For anybody who has read or followed my other stories please be aware that I am not updating them just adding the above notification of ownership over the next day or so. I apologise for any disappointment or inconvenience.


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